Electric relay and the like



K. FISCHER.

ELECTRIC RELAY AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15. 1913. RENEWED JUNE 10, 1919.

1328,041. Patented Jan. 13,1920.

JQ'gJ MZA M A f e v C 2 %r Z 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KUNO FISCHER, OF BERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO SIEMENS-SCHUCKERT WERKE, G. M. B. H., BERLIN, GERMANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

ELECTRIC RELAY AND THE LIKE.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Application filed August 15, 1913, Serial No. 784,948. Renewed June 10,1919. Serial No. 303,254.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KUNo Flscnnn, a Germancitizen, and resident of Berlin-Charlottenburg, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Electric Relays and the like, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and concise specification.

My invention more particularly relates to a class of relays which areactuated by ionizing a gas gap inserted into a control circuit, byreason of which said circuit becomes closed so that controlling orswitching devices of all kinds may be operated thereby.

One object of my present invention is to devise an apparatus of thischaracter in which the ionization of the gas is effected in a novel andpeculiar manner, viz. by high frequency oscillations which are generatedin a special oscillating circuit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple and effectiveprotective device for protecting electrical circuits such astransmission lines or cables from electrical disturbances, said deviceemploying the aforementioned relay which is actuated by the ionizationof a gas gap through highfrequency currents.

My invention will be more fully understood by reference to' theaccompanying drawing of which Figure 1 shows the gen eral principle ofmy present invention to employ high frequency currents for ionizing agas and rendering the same conductive to close a circuit for the abovepurpose, Fig. 2 is a modification of the arrangement of Fig. 1 forprotecting cables from excessive voltages by causing said excesses ofvoltage directly to produce a spark through which high frequencyoscillations are set up in the high frequency circuit. Fig. 3 shows amodified form of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, in Fig. 1 a tube 1' isshown in which a rarefied gas is inclosed and two terminals are molteninto this tube and ending in the electrodes e which are positionedwithin said rarefied gas. Conductors .9 lead from the terminals of saidtube to a battery I). In a second circuit 7:; electrical oscillationsare set up by means of a high frequency. generating device such as thespark gap 7, the natural frequency of which may be changed as desired byinserting a capacity 0 and a self-induction d into circuit. This highfregap will operate and high frequency cur rents are produced in circuitis by the oscillatory spark gap discharges, which also pass through coil2%. Thereby ionization of the gas in the tube is caused which rendersthe gas conductive.- Thus a conductive link is inserted between theelectrodes 6 and the circuit s will be closed.

The conductivity of the gas gap in its ionized state is very great incase the dis tance between the (lectrodes is not too large and in casethe electrodes possess a sufficient diameter; it is in fact possible toattain by ionization a conductive path between the electrodes of aresistance which is practically negligible. The shown in Fig. 1 matherefore be used in many cases as an e cient and reliable circuitclosing device.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the above relay embodied in an arrangement forprotecting cables against surges, excessive voltages, as well asexcessive currents. With the spark gap f which 1s inserted in theoscillating circuit are associated two further spark gaps f and f,connected with conductors of which one is grounded at E and the otherconnected to the cable 1 which is to be protected. If, now, the voltageof the cable Z surpass a certain value the relay will come into play inthe above described manner and may be used for operating all kinds ofsignaling devices, safety appliances or cutout switches as indicated atu for the protection of the cable.

The arrangement according to Fig. 3 may be used for protection of thecable Z against excessive current. In this case the fluctuationsofcurrent are transformed by means of a transformer tr into voltagefluctuations which if surpassing a certain value will oparrangement aserate the spark gaps in the well known mannected thereto comprising asource of current and controlling means adapted to be actuated from saidcurrent source, said control circuit being normally interrupted by thespacing of said electrodes,- and a circuit adapted to produce highfrequency oscillations and having a coil surrounding said tube forionizing the gas therein through said oscillations to close said controlcircuit at said electrode gap.

2. A circuit closing relay for electric transmission lines comprising agas tube containing electrodes spaced a suitable distance apart andhaving corresponding outside terminals, a control circuit connectedthereto comprising a source of current and means for controlling saidtransmission line, adapted to be actuated from said current source, saidcontrol circuit being normally interrupted by the spacing. of saidelectrodes, and a circuit having a spark gap, a capacity and aninductance and being operatively connected with said transmission line,said circuit adapted to produce high frequency oscillations at anelectric disturbance in said transmission line, said circuitalso'ha-ving a coil surroumling said tube for ionizing the gas thereinthrough said oscillations, to close said control circuit at saidelectrode gap.

3. A circuit closing relay comprising a gas tube containing electrodesspaced apart, a normally interrupted control circuit including a sourceof current and outer terminals of said electrodes, and a circuit adaptedto produce highfrequency Oscillations and having a coil surrounding saidtube for ionizing the gases therein through Said oscillations to closesaid control circuit across said electrode spacing.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftwo sub- HENRY HASPER, HARRY L. WILSON.

